[Vision2020] Re: Vision2020 digest, Vol 1 #355 - 12 msgs

[Shawn Clabough]

Actually, I read his response differently.  29-38% below grade level is not
the same as 29-38% below average.  Grade level is a fixed measurement,
average is relative.

Shawn

-----Original Message-----
From: Thomas Hansen [mailto:tomh@FNA.fsn.uidaho.edu] 
Sent: Thursday, May 08, 2003 4:39 PM
To: 'John Danahy'; vision2020@moscow.com
Subject: RE: [Vision2020] Re: Vision2020 digest, Vol 1 #355 - 12 msgs


Perhaps you do not understand the concept of "average", Mr. Danahy. Focusing
on an evenly distributed Gaussian curve (commonly used for
statistics) reveals (as it should) that approximately 50% are below the mean
(average) and 50% are above the mean.  Thus, with 29% to 38% of MSD's
students below the average (mean), this means that 62% to 71% are above the
average.

Do the math, Mr. Danahy,

Tom Hansen

-----Original Message-----
From: John Danahy [mailto:jdanahy@turbonet.com]
Sent: Thursday, May 08, 2003 4:29 PM
To: vision2020@moscow.com
Subject: RE: [Vision2020] Re: Vision2020 digest, Vol 1 #355 - 12 msgs


Hmmm!   Perhaps I am confused, but I fail to see how "reading at grade
level" equates to above or below average.  Not only does "reading at grade
level" have nothing to do with reading averages, but to try and equate a 30%
fail rate as something positive by once again referencing non existent
"national averages" is to accept that teachers should only teach 70% of
students to read.

Actually, reading at grade level should not be considered average, but
lowest acceptable result.  Standards are supposed to be the lowest bar, and
expectations should be to raise the bar from standards!

John

-----Original Message-----
From: vision2020-admin@moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-admin@moscow.com]
On Behalf Of thansen@moscow.com
Sent: Thursday, May 08, 2003 2:18 PM
To: Andreas Schou; vision2020@moscow.com
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Re: Vision2020 digest, Vol 1 #355 - 12 msgs

I agree with you 100%, Mr. Schou.  The 29% to 38% estimations puts MSD in 
keeping with the national average or possibly better than the national 
average.  My appreciation to the individual that posted these figures. Thank

you.

80% of all drivers polled stated that they are better than average.

Tom Hansen

> > > The Winter 2003 Idaho Reading Indicator test results reveal that 
> > > 29% of third-grade students in the Moscow School District and 38% 
> > > of third-grade students in the state read below grade level.
> 
> Unless I'm mistaken, a normal curve expects that 50% of students in
the
> state will read below grade level, rather than 29% to 38%. Because of 
> the 'granularity' of the scale, I can see how this number might 
> approach 50%, but there are always students that are below average.
This
> fact can be mitigated, but it can never be entirely removed. I'm
perplexed
> that you think that this is somehow crisis-level reading ability -- is 
> there some statistical methodology used to calculate these numbers
that
> I'm not aware of?
> 
> -- ACS
>